Thousands of members of the Church of Almighty God (CAG) have been incarcerated in China, following a further crackdown on unauthorized religious organizations. According to the rough statistics, more than 300,000 members of CAG were incarcerated and detained in China from the beginning of the persecutions in the 1990s to 2017.
Last August 2017 representatives of CAG contacted FOB seeking help and advice about their ongoing situation being denied freedom of belief in their country and being neglected protection in some European and non-European countries, that were not acknowledging they were being persecuted on the basis of their faith. FOB started a research with the support of leading experts and scholars who carried out a in-depth study on this matter. After a meeting in Warsaw at the HDIM OSCE Meeting between representatives of FOB and of CAG, further contacts have been developed.
FOB is growing bigger and now enlists amongst its federated associations the British All Faiths Network (AFN).
Active since December 2010, All Faiths Network's purpose is to promote religious harmony for common benefit, working toward an inclusive and positive dialogue.
Currently AFN includes representatives of 25 creeds and denominations and is actually the Great Britain bigger coalition of diverse confessions.
Being composed of individuals having deep religious and non religious convictions, AFN holds a set of common values based on:
The European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB) has taken part in the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2017 as we did in the previous years.
From the 11th to the 22nd of September 2017 the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2017 has taken place in Warsaw at the Narodowy Stadium being organised by the OSCE ODIHR - Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe - Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2017.
Working session 12: Fundamental freedoms I (continued), including
freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief
27 September 2017
In this page you can find documents and videos about the activities of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB) and the associated NGOs, concerning freedom of religion and belief and human rights issues, at the Europe’s largest annual human rights conference. It was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in Warsaw, from 19 to 30 September 2017.
The recommendations made by FOB at the OSCE 2017 Meeting in Warsaw
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2017.
Working session 11: HUMANITARIAN ISSUES AND OTHER COMMITMENTS
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2017.
Working session 9: Tolerance and non-discrimination
15 September 2017
It is a major obligation of all OSCE member states to combat discrimination and substantial resources are invested to diminish the symptoms of discrimination and non-tolerance. Still, discrimination and non-tolerance continue to challenge our societies.
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2017
Working session 6: Fundamental freedoms II, including
Freedom of Thought, Conscience, Religion and Belief
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2017.
Working session 7: Tolerance and non-discrimination, 1
14 September 2017
CAP is a FOB's federated association which operates mostly in France to contrast anti-religious activities by groups like the French UNADFI (member of FECRIS) and the governamental body MIVILUDES.
Not yet the echo has turned off, of the uproar created by the clamorous Russian decision of last 21 April, whereby the Russian Supreme Court actually banned the Jehovah’s Witnesses; now, even more draconian measures are coming up against religious groups.
We cannot fail to utter our most lively worry for what is happening in Russia versus the religious minorities as well as for the disturbing similitude between nowadays draconian application of a law for national safety, so become freedom-killing (the Yarovaya law) and what happened less than one century ago not just in the soviet sphere but also elsewhere in the world, in countries later become the stage of the worst historical facts and the most heinous tragedies of the twentieth century. However, it is also mandatory to investigate the occurrence so as to understand the root of it.
Our French partner EIFRF (European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom), was one of the most active NGOs to support the proposal of the Rapporteur Valeriu Ghiletchi, fighting to get the approval by the Parlementary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) of a proposed resolution and a recommendation for "The Protection of the rights of parents and children belonging to religious minorities". Here follows the announcement posted on EIFRF's website.
Video and text of the introductory speech by prof. Silvio Calzolari, Secretary of FOB, at the presentation of the Acts of the 1st Conference by FOB, Laicity and Freedom of Belief in Italy, and greetings by Honourable Luciano Ciocchetti.
FLORENCE – Friday, April 7, 2017, at 3.30 PM in the "Sala dei Gigli" of the "Palace of Pegaso" of the Tuscany Regional Council there has been the presentation of the volume of the acts of the Conference held on 21 December 2015 by FOB in Rome, in the Globe Hall of the Chamber of Deputies.
Video and text of the speech of dr. Alessandro Lo Presti, Institutional Relations and Representation Regional Council of Tuscany, opens the meeting waiting for the President of the Regional Council of Tuscany, dr. Eugenio Giani.
